Typically, sales, marketing and customer service personnel use computers to track customer lead data such as: prospective customer contacts, needs, interests, purchase potential, and satisfaction information in computerized databases and spreadsheets. However, the need to access, distribute and manage this information by many different individuals or entities that were not in the same geographic location presents a problem. People could not access this customer lead data because they did not have the same software program, did not know how to use the software program, or could not read the lead data. Furthermore, the customer lead data was not in a consistent format, so progress on the customer lead could not be tracked. Because of the system's inability to track a customer lead, lead data that had become obsolete was not updated, and a company's resources were then wasted on “dead” leads. In addition, numerous companies distribute customer lead data by sending originals or copies of business cards or handwritten “lead sheets” in the company's interoffice mail which are either lost or illegible and as a result, are not followed up on.
With the advent of the Internet, companies/sellers are promoting their products and services on their web sites and prospective customers contact the company via e-mail, phone or fax to request additional information regarding a company's goods or services. Trade shows, business events, and one-on-one sales meetings usually provide a business with the lowest rate of return on investment. This is primarily due to the fact that there is no system in place on the floor of the trade show or event to capture, qualify, distribute, and manage customer lead data. As a result, the company selling the goods or services is unable to provide the customer with requested information regarding the product or service sought by the customer.